The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1887-09-16
German carp.

driven all the native fish into other sections. |
Streams were stocked with bass and brook |
trout but there are so many fishermen who |
have no regard for the laws enacted for |
the protection Of fish that the stocking OF |
the streams has not reached the purpose
intended. Another difficulty is that the
bass, trout and pike are destructive fish
and will destroy the small fish and thus re-
tard propagation. They also inbabit run
| ming water, and therefore 1t Is with diff
Guilty they can be kept in one location. 1t
| therefore became necessary for our Fish
Commissioners to look about and see If a
fish could be obtained that would overcome
these objections. At last the German Carp
was discovered and few brought to this
country for experiment. The experiment
proved valuable one and soon the Com
missioners began distributing them in vari
Gus statek. They seemed to thrive every
where and the farmers attention was di-
acted to raising these valuable fish. They
are rapid growers and have reached as
high as twenty-five pounds. Farmers soon
learned that they could raise these fish
with less outlay of labor and capital and
with greater profit than they could raise
poultry or pigs. The fish inhabts pools or
ponds and do not like running streams.
They thrive the best in ponds with deep
muddy bottoms, they are not destructive
fish and are rapid growers. These fish are
sent out in limited number to any who
will manifest enough interest to put them
| in
Wilkes Barre, or Corresponding Secretary,
A. M. Spangler. 800 Commerce street, Phil
ade lphia, will cheerfully give any informa-
tion on the subject. During 1885 and 1886
nearly $1,000 fish were sent out from the
Fisheries and have been placed in nearly
every county in the state. At Numidia,
Locust township, Mr.. Bame has large
ponds, where he supplies the farmers with
whatever size they may want, from two
inches up as high as two feet. 1t is said
that he has one that will weigh about Is
pounds. His ponds are but few years
old, and show how rapidly the fish grow.
Careful estimates place the number of fish
in his pond at over one million. In Mifflin
township Adam Miller was the first to Sc
} cure any fish, but he placed them in with
other fish and he has not been so success
full. Mr. D. G. Bond stocked a pond in
the Spring with few fish about six inches
J long and he thinks they will now weigh
nearly three pounds and are over a foot
long. In the early Spring Mr.. William
Hartzel, of Mifflin township, cleared out
an old pond and placed in it one Carp about
, six inches long and over one hundred about
about six inches long and the large one
, over foot. He has also built two more
r ponds which he expects to stock this FALL
He will put in over one thousand of the
same fish. With this addition he thinks
D that the natural growth will be more than
b the ponds can accommodate and that he
: will have many carp for sale. Matthias
}; Shaffer, of Bloomsbury, introduced Carp
d into his ponds few years ago, and is SO
y well pleased with the result that he is now
y clearing the pond of all other fish, and will
n only raise the Carp in the future.
Y The following information is taken from
}. the Report Of the Commissioners of Fish
e cries and may prove of much value to those
e interested in raising these fine fish, or who
8, have any thought of soon raising them
IS "The Carp is partial to quiet, and ever
D stagnant waters. If they have not an alb
l. solute aversion to running waters, it ha
r been satisfactorily demonstrated that wher
the option is given them they prefer still
'r ponds They like loamy, muddy bottom
9, where the water is deep, and where vege
e tation is plentiful. That they will multiply
,t and thrive in streams as rapid as tn
~ Schuylkill and Delaware abundant evidenc
VI is found in the large Carp which from tim
to time have been taken in those rivers
s, Besides, it is well known that it inhabit
: nearly all the small and large rivers o
=. Europe.
1t must not be understood, that becaus
Carp is able to live in water that woul
r be deadly to most other fish, that pools an
oo bays of that kind are to be preferred TO
~ them; neither must it be inferred that first
es class fish can be produced in ponds wher
Sc the water is not pure. The Carp is vegt
4. table feeder mainly although it will ca
is worms and the larvG of aquatic insects
which it seeks in the mud Although nc
caruivorous, it is by no means an eplcur
ms in its tastes, being easily satisfied with tn
in refuse OF the kitchen and dairy.
ot The peculiar habits of the Carp al
worthy of mention in this connection.
o' the latitudes Of Pennsylvania, they gene
lr- ally, at the beginning Of the cold seasol
g. resort to the deeper portions of the water
II they inhabit, where, if the bottom
muddy, they spend the Winter; if not in
'e; torpid state, at least far from being as ac
le, i've as in Summer
AS soon as the Carp leaves its Wintt
70. quarters it begins an earnest quest for foot
BY the first of March-the time varyin
hu with the latitude and temperature-the egg
y" have become considerably developed, an
few weeks of bright sunshine serve
bring about the spawning season, whic
beginning in May, ends about the latt
part of June, though in some localities c.
tending far into July. The spawning
not always continuous; that is, it is not b
m. gun and completed without interruptio
On A month may pass from the depositing
W. the first eggs before the last one is spawne,
nd hough this is not common.
ire There are few more prolific fish than Il
a Carp. The number of eggs contained in
fish that will weigh from three to TO,
'e- pounds will range from 300,0 900 to 10000
ed, This Is moderate estimate, but is sufti
to. iently large to explain the wonderful pr
,d- liicness of this fish in its natural waters
No doubt many amateur Carp culturis
o'- have been surprised to find their pom,
M bare of young fish, although they had i
he most convincing evidence that the spaw
ION ing process had gone on regularly. I.
cause Of that barrenness is readily e
'fo planned, and is easily remedled. Viii
mi the Carp is not regarded as a carnivoro
md fish, 1t will cat worms and the Larvae OF |
mid sects when it is afforded chance to do s
,, and the experience of Mr.. Creveling, I
'eu superintendent of the eastern hatchery
OF Allentown, as well as OF other excellent a
md thorities, establishes beyond the preadvf
ed ture Of doubt, the fact that the old Ca
will at times eat the spawn of the you
ION Carp. The simple remedy is to place SIN
but brush in the ponds before the spawn
his season comes on. The eggs Of Carp, as
uor culturists know, are adhesive, adhering
oI Jumps to the object upon which they ha
ms fallen. 1t is also well known that
the mother fish generally seeks some obj
on which to cast her spawn, as the eg
which have no such support are sure to
AZ. lost. Hence, if there be "water graz
or other vegetable growth in the pond,
md spawing fish is certain to seek them o
ing and deposit her eggs so that they will eli
.,a to such growth. But that does not reno
hiA- | them from unnatural males who will C,